Bangor, Maine News Update: January 29, 2019

A native of Nepal has pleaded not guilty to marriage fraud after his wife told authorities she was in a sham marriage with him. Eilove Shrestha came to the U.S. in 2015 and needed a green card to stay here. Police say he flew to Maine from North Carolina last June and married a woman from Brewer, promising to pay her 13 thousand dollars.

A Maine task force that reviewed police officers’ use of deadly force says Maine needs to provide expanded access to inpatient mental health care and crisis stabilization. The report released this week says police are increasingly called to deal with people in crisis involving mental health issues and substance use.

A lawmaker is proposing to launch a consumer-owned Maine power utility company that would operate outside of state government, purchase the current two utility companies, and then reduce rates through refinancing. The idea is getting support from some lawmakers and unions, even though not many details have been released.

State officials are advising residents to test their homes for radon every three to five years, because levels of the invisible, odorless gas can change. The Maine CDC says breathing air that contains radon gas can damage lung tissues and is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Find more information on the state of Maine's website.

City officials are hoping for enough snow on February 9^th to support snowshoeing, sledding, and snowmobiling for the Ellsworth City Carnival. The annual weekend event will also include things like ice skating, a fishing derby, an indoor swim, and the Clamboot Classic hockey game. Find more information on the Ellsworth Recreation Commission’s Facebook page.